The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
The union specifically condemned the ease with which bandits carried out the attack despite existing security measures.
In a signed statement emailed to Persecondnews late Wednesday, NLC President Joe Ajaero remarked: “That bandits struck with relative ease despite these measures points to something more worrying, something sinister, something we cannot readily put our finger on.”
Ajaero reiterated the urgent need for national concern and innovative, “out-of-the-box” thinking to address the crisis.
He said he shared the pains and trauma of the victims, parents, and Governor Dr. Nasir Idris, calling on the federal government to enhance security efforts.
Ajaero questioned the effectiveness of security budgets, stating, “Bogus budgets do not seem to be working. What is wrong?”
He urged the federal government to reflect deeply on the issue, warning that insecurity could spread beyond frontline states.
The NLC demanded increased efforts to rescue the abducted girls and protect citizens, citing shrinking physical and psychological spaces in the polity.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has visited Kebbi, and President Bola Tinubu vowed to rescue the students, with security forces intensifying search operations.
Shettima was received on arrival by Governor Nasiru Idris, alongside senior state officials, traditional leaders and heads of security agencies.
Speaking on the reception, Stanley Nkwocha, spokesperson to the vice-president, in a statement on Wednesday noted that the unity displayed by state authorities underscored the seriousness of the incident.
“The collaborative response from the state government and security chiefs shows that everyone is aligned in bringing the girls home safely,” he added.
Nkwocha further described the visit as part of a broader federal effort to strengthen security coordination in the region. “This trip is not ceremonial,” he explained.
“It is a direct attempt to evaluate ongoing operations, offer federal support, and ensure that every necessary resource is deployed.”
The vice-president is expected to meet with community leaders as well as relatives of the abducted students before receiving briefings from military and intelligence units involved in the search-and-rescue mission.
Known for its regular salary payments of workers and infrastructure development, Kebbi State has been hard-hit by this incident.
The event serves as a stark reminder of previous tragedies, including the Chibok abductions of 2014 in Borno State under President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
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